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Bees Fanning at Entrance?

This is a scenario I see often, yet I am not sure if it's a good one or a bad one...

I have a TBH. There are several bees positioned backwards on the entrance landing. There heads are pointed in the hive and their tails pointed out. I have seen them with their tails up, but today they have their tails down and they are beating their wings rapidly. My entrance is about 1" deep and 12" wide. There is a cluster of bees fanning at 1/3 of the entrance.

Re: Bees Fanning at Entrance?

The bees pointing their fanning away from the hives are probably on one side of the entrance. Inside there are also bees fanning on the other side of the entrance blowing air the other way (inside the hive). They pick a circulation route and fan to move the air along that route. At night, when the foragers have returned you can hear them circulating air.

Re: Bees Fanning at Entrance?

I also think they're cooling. My bees do it in warm weather. Based upon my experience, robbing would probably be a lot more dramatic, with hordes trying to get in, bees fighting on the landing board, etc.

Re: Bees Fanning at Entrance?

If you really want to know what is happening???? Seriously...take a small piece of light weight tissue, and hold it in the air in front of the hive entrance. You WILL be amazed at how much air they are moving! It will either be sucked in, or pushed out...but either way, it will happen with force that will amaze you!